Fluid coupling



April 3, 1945. Q -j- .7 2,372,748

' FLUID COUPLING Filed April 14, 1941 at 1 46 I 24 2? i II w 48 i 1 48 I INVENTOR. 15 4814?! 67 JW/FT BY A Patented Apr. 3, 1945 FLUID COUPLING Harvey 0. Swift, Detroit, Mich, assignor ,to Hydraulic Brake Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of California Application April 14, 1941, Serial No. 388,542

4 Claim.

This invention relates to fluid couplings.

The invention comprehends a fluid coupling including an impeller, a runner associated therewith, and means effective for inhibiting drag on the runner when it is static and the impeller rotating at idling speed.

An object of, the invention is to provide a fluid coupling including an impeller and a runner providing in conjunction with one another a fluid circuit, and. means for diverting the circuit when the runner is static and the impeller rotating slowly. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid coupling including an impeller and a runner providing a fluid circuit, and means for dumping fluid from the circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid coupling including an impeller and a run-.

ner providing in conjunction with one another a fluid circuit automatically controlled by means activated by centrifugal force resulting from rotation of the coupling.

Other objects and advantagesof the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing forming apart of this specification, and in which- 4 Fig. 1" is a'sectional view partly-broken away illustratingia fluid coupling embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the impeller partly broken away; and- "chamber 40 communicating with the interior of the housing 24 by way of spaced openings 42 controlled as by gates 44 normally held open as by springs 45. The housing 24 constitutes the outer shroud of an impeller and suitably mounted on the inner wall of the housing are spaced impeller blades 48 normal to the side edges of the gates andadapted to limit motion of the gates in one direction.

' Bearings 50 are mounted on the bearing support 34 in the .hub 30 of the housing 24, and a bearing 52 is mounted on the bearing support 22 in the internal web 20 of the bell housing. ,These bearings support for rotation a center shaft 54 in axial alignment with the driven shaft.

One end of the center shaft 54 is received by the recess It in the flange H of/ the driving shaft with substantial clearance, and the center shaft extends concentrically through the housing 24, and the hub 36 thereof. The other end of the center shaft has an enlarged portion is for the reception of the bearing" 52, and this enlarged portion has a concentric bore 58 and a-circumferential flange 60 supporting'a clutch member 62, and a bearing 64 fitted in the bore 58 supports ior'rotation a driven shaft 65 having thereon an v axially movable clutch member 68 for coopera- Fig. 3"is aperspective view illustrating one of the gates, a Referring to the drawing for more specific d tails of the invention, represents the crank case of an internal combustion engine, and I2 the crank shaft of the engine having a flange H provided with a concentrically disposed recess It. A bell housing I! suitably secured to the'crank case III has an internal web provided with a bearing support 22 axially disposed with relation to the driving shaft l2.

A housing 24 enclosed by the bell housing It has a filling opening 26 normally closed as by a plug 28. The housing 24 has a concentrically disposed hub 30 bolted "or otherwise secured to the flange ll of the crank shaft with a retaining ring 32 and a suitable sealing asket interposed, and the hub has a bearing support 34 concentrically disposed with relation theretoand in axial alignment with the shaft II. The housing also has a hub 36 oppositely disposed and in concentric relation to the hub 30.

Th wall of the housing adjacent the hub 30 has an offset section 38 providing an annular tion with the clutch member 62.

A runner III is keyed to the center shaft within the housing 24 in oppositely disposed relation to the impeller, and a fluid sealing means 12 is interposed between the runner and the hub 36 for inhibiting seepage of fluid from the housing 2|. the runner includes a hub 14 having a web 16 provided with spaced openings I8 affording communications between the chamber 4 and the housing 20 proper, and the web supports an outer shroud having suitably mounted thereon spaced runner blades 82.

In a normal operation, assuming that the housing 24 constituting the reservoir is filled with suitable fluid to a predetermined degree of its capacity, suflicient to allow for expansion of the fluid due to heat, upon initial actuation or rota-t HOD of the housing by force received from the driving shaft l2, the fluid in the housing is energized by the impeller and by centrifugal force as a result of rotation of the housing. The energy of the fluid moving under these forces is received on the blades 82 of the runner in, causing rotation of the runner; During this operation, centrifugal force acting on the gates 44 move the gates against the resistance of the'springs 46 to close the openings 42 between the fluid circuit ancl the chamber it to as to more eflectively sur round the fluid circuit.

During normal and high speeds of rotation, the gates it are retained closed under the influence oi the centrifugal force, and when the speed oi po= tation decreases, as when approaching a. stop, the gates 1 3 are moved. to the open position under the influence of the springs Gt. This results in ouicln 137 dumping the fluid in the fluid circuit through the openings as into the chamber 6% Where it impinges on the well it moi then passes through the openings 88 in the web into the reservoir or housing 2 3. Thereafter, the runner it remains static, and the impeller rotating at an idling speed does not impose objections]! olreg on the runner since the fluid is diverted from its normal opers= tive circuit.

While this invention hes been described in con. nectlon with certain specific embodiments, the principle involved is susceptible of numerous other applications that will reeuily occur to persons skilled in the art. The invention is, therefore, to ce limitecl only a indicated. by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the various features of the invention, what I claim es new one, desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A fluid coupling comprising e, roteteble hous= me having an onset chamber communicating with ascents runner in the housing for cooperation with the imnella.

2. A fluid coupling comprising a rotatable housing having an offset chamber communicating with the housing by. spaced openings, gates on the housing for control of the openings activated by centrifugal force, impeller blades on the housing supporting the gates when in closed position, and e runner in the housing for cooperation with the impeller.

3. A fluicl coupling comprising a. rotatable housling having en annular offset chamber communieating with the housing by spaced openings, gates pivoted on the housing for control of the openings activated by centrifugal force, impeller blades can iiecl by the housing, and a. runner within the housing for cooperation with the impeller having means providing communicetion between the housing and the offset chamber.

fluid coupling comprising a circular rotsteiole housing constituting a, reservoir: having en annular concentrically disposed offset chamber communicating with the housing by space-:1 openhugs and an opening at the inner perimeter the housing, gates for control of the spaced; openings ectivatecl by centrifugal force, an impeller carries by the housing, and a runner within the housin for cooperstlon with the impeller having web ccijecent the opening of the offset chamber the inner perimeter of the housing said web hovlng spaced openings providing communication between the ofiset chamber and the reservoir,

HARVEY C. SWIFT. 

